“AMAZING GESTURE”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11121, 3 February 1930, Page 5

“AMAZING GESTURE”

CANCELLATIONS JN ROYAL NAVY. THOUGHTFUL COMMENT IN ' LONDON PRESS. BRITAIN IS ONLY POWER TO STOP CRUISER-BUILDING. UNENVIABLE COMPARISON WITH FRANCE AND ITALY. United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright (Received Feb. 2, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 1. The ‘‘Daily Telegraph’s” naval correspondent states: — ‘‘lt is extraordinary that the significance ol wholesale deletions from the British naval programme has escaped general notice. Within 48 hours thcr Government has cancelled four cruisers—three 10,000-toiiners and one smaller hue—a total tonnage of 80,000. Tlii s amazing gesture was made at a moment when it is most desirable that the Empire should jealously guard every naval asset, potential and actual, till it is known whether other Powers are going to reduce their navies. Naval circles regard the dropping ol the four destroyers and the three submarines as most ill-timed, as we are exceptionally weak in these categories compared with other Powers represented at the conference. The liveyear .programme approved by Parliament in 1020 provided for tbe construction in 1 ‘125-2!) of nine 10,000ton and seven 8000-tou cruisers. Actually, only the nine ships have been built, and are likely to be i Hiilfc. The oilier seven have been cancelled. Britain is the only Power which has cancelled a single cruiser in the last six years.

■‘Mr. Hoover, in July, announced that lie would defer the laying-down of two 10,000-ton cruisers. These were merely suspended, not cancelled, and tire guns and mountings for them are being manufactured.

“Until now no certainty has existed, even among semi-official observers at the conference, regarding the tonnage aggregates which France and Italy are aiming at. I am reliable informed that the French claim will he based on a statute adopted a few voai\ ago, under which the Navy wili attain the following strengths:— Capital ships, 175,000 tons; light craft, —; cruisers and destroyers, .‘190.000 tons: aircraft carriers, 60.000 tons; submarines. 96,000 tons; hut the statute ignores coastal submarines aggregating 30.000 tons. Approximately half the programme of light craft and submarines has already been built or laid down, including three 8000 and seven 10,000-ton cruisers. If this progress continues, France will have thirteen 10,000tonners in 1036 when, under the Anglo-American Conference proposals, the British Empire will have fifteen and Japan nine. These figures foreshadow one of the most serious problems awaiting solution. The French submarine total of 126,000 tons i<- distributed over fifty-eight large and fifty coastal boats, showing the importance which Prance attaches to flic submarine* arm. Of her 390,000 tons light craft. 210,000 tons are ear-marked for cruisers, and ISO.OOO tons for flotilla leaders and destroyers. It- is doubtful whether tint totai includes the twelve new 2000-ton sloops for the colonial service. The total displacement of the French navy to-day is 450,000 tons, <o that, between now and 1943, 300.. 000 tons will be added.

‘‘The figures of Italy's global tonnage as at present projected are conflicting. She lias no naval statute extending over a long term of years, so it is impossible to foretell the future strength of her new ships. She lias built, or is building. six 10.000ton Bi.u, gun cruisers, six 5300.t0n six-inch gun cruisers. -16 destroyers and 30 submarines. Tf Italy reallv tin fends to achieve parity with France, she 'must build on an ex. U'-omelv costly scale in years to come."